I just set up my 4x5 enlarger with an Aristo cold light head, and read in the Aristo instruction book that certain timers may not be able to handle the "inductive load" of the light. I have a Beseler audible timer, and was wondering if anyone knows if this timer is compatible with the Aristo.

-- James Webb (jwebb66@yahoo.com), February 06, 2002

Answers

My experience with this has been that the standard D type Aristo heads can fry out a timer after a while...not immediately though. We had a Gralab 505 timer that was killed after about a year of use with an Aristo D head. Upon talking with Gralab & Aristo reps, the advice was to use an Aristo model 1200 Contactor (they cost about $75 or so from Aristo)....anyways, we got another timer & the contactor and have had no problems since...that was about 8 years ago. In my own darkroom I have one of the VCL aristos and while they say you can use any timer with it, I talked to a Gralab rep again, and he recommended using a surge protector prior to the timer....it's my understanding that the problems are worse with electronic timers over mechanical ones. You might want to call beseler and see what they have to say....but the contactor is alot cheaper than a fancy timer to replace.....good luck.

-- DK Thomposn (kthompson@moh.dcr.state.nc.us), February 07, 2002.

Dear James, I have used a Beseler audible timer with an Aristo VCL head for 7 years with No problems. Used that same timer with a Zone VI head for 4 years, also without problems.

-- John Elder (celder2162@aol.com), February 08, 2002.

I've had my Aristo on a 525 (Gralab) for going on about 10 years now... no problems so far.

-- Scott Walton (walton@ll.mit.edu), February 08, 2002.